How do you heal?

Chapter 55: Beat It Into You

Mid August 2016

Annie was in the kitchen loading the dishwasher Wanda and Vision at the table and Pietro sitting at the island eating and talking to her. "Are you sure you don't want me at your show tonight? I can ditch the team building."

With the lack of activity over the last year Tony and Steve had implemented team building sessions every month or so to keep everyone fresh and in sync. Pietro had a tendency to 'disappear' right before everyone left only to show up at Annie's side shortly after. "I'll be fine, and you need the team building." Annie said and wrinkled her nose before turning at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Bucky and Nat walked in to get breakfast. "Good morning." Annie said as she gave them both a soft smile. "Coffee is fresh and there are shakes in the fridge. Let me know if you want eggs."

"Thanks, I'm good with just a shake." Nat said as she walked past Annie toward the fridge.

"Grab one for me too, Nat." Bucky said, reaching for a mug. As he filled his cup he noticed a book on the counter by the coffee pot. "Hey, is this the second book in the kingkiller chronicles?" He asked, setting the pot down and picking up the book to read the back.

Annie nodded as she picked up her own coffee and moved to sit next to Pietro.

"Do you mind if I borrow it? I have been meaning to stop and get a copy and I just haven't had time." Bucky began flipping through the pages as Nat came to stand next to him. He had found the first book on Annie's shelves when he had first arrived at the compound and loved it but with everything that had been going on back then he'd never got around to reading the second one.

Annie sucked in a breath and looked between Bucky and Pietro. "Uh, I actually brought it out so Piet could borrow it but you are welcome to it when he's done. Or if you want I've got plans in the city tonight, I can pick you up a copy."

Bucky set the book down and started to speak but Pietro cut him off. "Barnes can borrow it first, I don't mind."

"Are you sure? The book store is on the way, I would only need to leave like twenty minutes early."

Pietro looked at Bucky and nodded before smiling at Annie. "Yeah, no big deal. I can wait."

Bucky looked between the two slightly confused. In the time since Annie got back from her vacation Maximoff had been suspiciously civil with him and it almost made Bucky dislike him more. "Uh, thanks man."

Annie stood and grabbed the book, carefully to avoid making contact with Bucky as she moved around him but stopped in front of Nat and laid a hand on her arm. "I can toss this in your room, Bucky. I have to get on a call with Hill so I'm headed that way. Nat, are you still able to put the lasagna in the oven when you get back from the exercise tonight? Wanda and Vision said they would clean up after."

"Sure thing," Nat said to Annie before turning to Bucky and asking. "Ready to go?"

Bucky just nodded and followed Nat to the elevator. Once inside Nat noticed the baffled look on Bucky's face and asked. "Are you short circuiting, Barnes, do I need to call Stark?"

"Is it just me or was Maximoff suspiciously nice to me? It's like lately his dickhead attitude just disappeared."

Nat laughed and took a sip from her shake before answering. "Yeah well when Annie tells him to do something he does it and when she got back from vacation she told him to play nice."

"Why would she do that?"

"Uhm, because it's Annie and any type of conflict makes that girl snap like a dry spaghetti noodle." Nat answered as the elevator doors opened and they began to walk toward the gym.

"So he just stopped because she asked?"

"Yes, you may have missed it because you are too busy brooding but Maximoff would likely eat glass if Annie asked him to and he'd do it with a smile." Nat said, opening the gym doors and giving Bucky a pointed look. Secretly a hopeless romantic and openly a schemer, Nat was rooting for Annie and Bucky to reunite and if that meant she had to point out the obvious to Barnes to kick his ass into motion, she would.

Bucky bristled a little at the statement. He wasn't blind so he saw the truth to that but it still rubbed him the wrong way. He was glad they were about to spar. "So are they like, a thing?" Even after being back for weeks he still hadn't gotten a straight answer to that question or been able to tell for himself. Maximoff clearly liked Annie and she seemed happy around him. So they have to be together, right? And if they aren't, why?

Nat smiled at Bucky's back as he walked into the gym. Gotcha. "No, Maximoff has yet to work up the guts to actually make a move instead of just shamelessly flirting. Unfortunately for him Annie is resistant to his charms and would need a neon sign to realize he's into her."

They were quiet for a minute as they placed down their gear and began stretching. After a moment Bucky asked quietly. "If Maximoff did make a move, do you think Annie would be interested?" He knew the answer but he wanted to hear it confirmed.

Nat stepped onto the mats and turned to face him. "I think she likes him well enough to give him a chance. Unless you give her a reason not to."

Bucky joined Nat on the mats rocking his head side to side to crack his neck. "That's not going to happen, Nat."

In a flash Nat was in combat with him, throwing kicks and punches before he could release any of his own. "Why's that?" She asked as she pulled his flesh arm behind his head in a half nelson before sweeping his legs out from under him.

Using the momentum from his own fall Bucky pulled Nat over his head making her land flat on her back. "For one, I have a girlfriend and two because I broke her heart and she only tolerates my presence here because she's a nice person." And because being with him had put her in danger. I can't do that again.

As he leaned over to try and pin her, Nat swung her legs up over Bucky's shoulders and flipped him onto his own back. Positioning herself to hold a practice knife at his throat. "If you believe that, Barnes, you are as oblivious as she is."